Two years later.

 

“I can’t believe this is actually my house,” Ella said as she stood in the middle of the empty living room of her new home. She had just closed on a house in West Chester, about a twenty-minute drive from where her mother and father lived. “This is my home.”

When Ella’s grandmother had passed away the year before, she left her entire estate to her father as he was her only living son. Henry’s only brother was a firefighter too, but he had died in a fire ten years before, as he tried to rescue a little girl. When Henry sold his mother’s house, he gave Ella a cheque for a deposit on a house for her and Max, and also enough to get them both settled in their new home.

Ella had dreamed of moving into a house with a backyard so that Max would have somewhere proper to play. He loved being out in her parent's backyard, and Ella hated having to take him home to their tiny apartment. Finally, her dream had come true.

“This place is amazing,” a very pregnant Ruby said as she walked to the window and stared out at the street. “It’s exactly what you and Max deserve. White picket fences and flowers, instead of being cooped up in that apartment. I’m so happy for you.”

“Can you believe that soon, we will both be moms?” Ella asked as she smiled at Ruby. “All respectable and grown up. How the hell did that happen?”

“I have no freaking idea, but I wish someone would tell me how to stop it,” Ruby laughed before her smile faded a little. “Brady is still pushing for us to get married as soon as the baby is born and I don’t know how much longer I can put him off.”

“Why are you so against the idea of marrying him?” Ella asked. “You bought a house together; you’re having a baby together; why is marriage so scary to you?”

“Because my parents were married and they hated each other,” Ruby replied. “You know what my life was like when I was growing up, Ella. My dad thought being married gave him a license to treat my mom like crap, and she took it out on me…”

“But Brady is not your dad, Ruby,” Ella said as she took her friend’s hand. “He’s a kind, sweet man who loves you very much. And not every marriage sucks, look at my mom and dad. They have been married almost forty years, and they still love each other more than anyone else I know.”

“I guess so,” Ruby sighed and gave her friend a smile. “But what about you? Don’t you think it’s time for you to get back out there?”

“I already have a man in my life,” Ella smiled as she thought of her little boy. “And he keeps me busy enough.”

“I know you have Max,” Ruby replied, as she gave her friend a sad smile. “But what about you? Don’t you ever get lonely?”

“I don’t have time to be lonely,” Ella shrugged. “Besides, nobody is going to want to date someone with a child like Max. And I don’t need some asshole coming in and screwing things up. Max wouldn’t be able to cope with that. I have accepted this is my life. I’m happy.”

“I love Max,” Ruby said as she squeezed her friend’s hand. “You know I do, but you need something more, Ella. You need something for you.”

“Maybe someday,” Ella sighed as she released her friend’s hand and walked closer to the window.

“You know,” Ruby said as she watched her friend. “Brady has this friend; his name is Xander…”

“NO!” Ella shut her friend down straight away. The last thing she needed was to be fixed up.

“Ella,” Ruby replied. “I know I have a crappy record of picking guys, but I wouldn’t set you up with just any asshole. Xander is a nice guy, and he is gorgeous. I think you and he would really get along.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready,” Ella sighed. “I just need more time.”

“You’re still waiting on Max’s father to come back,” Ruby said, surprising Ella. “Aren’t you.”

“Of course, I’m not,” Ella laughed at her friend’s remark. She looked out the window again and saw the truck her dad had rented, pull into the front garden. “I just don’t know if I’m ready to risk upsetting Max for some guy.”

“Then at least think about it,” Ruby pleaded.

“I will think about it,” Ella agreed. “I promise.”

“Ella!” Brandon called suddenly from the front door of the house. “Your moving slaves are here.”

“About bloody time,” Ella laughed as she gave Ruby a wink before she turned and walked towards the door. She stepped out onto the front porch as Brandon turned and hurried back down the driveway to where her father and Ben were beginning to unload the rental truck.

“Do you think they will ever be ready for you to find a new man?” Ruby said as she stood behind Ella and looked out towards the truck.

“God knows,” Ella sighed. “They have been like three fathers to Max these last four years. I don’t think any man will live up to their expectations.”

“I bet,” Ruby laughed. “But Ben and Jules are engaged, and Brandon is dating another new girl. Maybe it’s time for you to settle down too.”

“Maybe,” Ella replied with a smile. “Maybe.”

“I think that’s everything,” Henry said as he brought in the last box from the truck.

“Great,” Ella said as she looked around at all the boxes lying around her new house, and sighed. “Now I just need to unpack it all.”

“Well that can keep until tomorrow,” Brandon said as he came bounding down the stairs. “Mom just called, and dinner will be ready in thirty minutes.”

“I swear all you boys think about is your stomachs,” Ella laughed.

“Well yeah,” Ben said as he walked out from the kitchen. “That and our…”

“Don’t even finish that sentence,” Henry said as he pinned Ben with a look that said quit while he was ahead.

“Your mind is really in the gutter,” Ella said and stuck out her tongue at Ben when Henry turned his back to them. She followed her father out of the house and stopped on the front porch. She needed to lock up once her brothers followed them out.

As her brothers hurried down the driveway, Ella turned and slipped her key into the lock.

“Hi there,” A voice said suddenly from behind her. Ella turned and saw a pretty brunette standing in front of her, holding a bottle of wine. “I’m Nina Regan. I live next door. I just wanted to say hi and welcome you to the neighbourhood.”

“Hi,” Ella said as she stepped down off the front porch and reached out her hand to Nina’s and shook it. “I’m Ella. It’s lovely to meet you.”

“Is it just you and your husband?” Nina asked as she looked down at Brandon climbing into the truck.

“That’s my brother, Brandon,” Ella laughed. “It’s just me and my son, Max. He is with my mom today.”

“Ella!” Ben called from the truck with a laugh as it slowly reversed out of the driveway. “Don’t blame us if there is nothing left when you get there.”

“I’m sorry,” Nina said as she handed Ella the bottle of wine. “I’m keeping you from something.”

“My mom has dinner waiting for us,” Ella explained as she slipped her house key into her handbag and pulled out her car keys. “My parents live about twenty minutes from here.”

“Well don’t let me keep you,” Nina said with a smile.

“I’m officially moving in tomorrow,” Ella replied. “How about you come over tomorrow night, and we can drink this together?”

“I would like that,” Nina replied. “I’ll see you then.”

“I look forward to it,” Ella replied. “And thank you for the wine.”

Nina said goodbye before she turned and headed back through the gap in the bushes that divided their front yards. Ella smiled to herself as she walked down to her car. She had a good feeling about this house. She knew this is where she and Max belonged.

Ella was just unpacking the last of the kitchen stuff when the door bell sounded. She set down the box she was holding and hurried to answer the door.

“Is now a bad time?” Nina asked the moment Ella opened the door.

“Not at all,” Ella said as she stepped back to let Nina come into the house. “I was about ready to give up for the night. I hadn’t realise just how much stuff I had until I got here.”

“Perfect,” Nina replied as she stepped into the house.

“Come through to the kitchen,” Ella said with a laugh as she led her through the archway to the kitchen. “I think I have it almost sorted.”

“Have all your helpers gone for the night?” Nina asked as she sat up on a stool at the breakfast counter.

“They have,” Ella smiled. “And my mom is going to keep Max for the night. This move is a lot for him to deal with, so I need to make sure everything is ready here before he gets here.”

“How old is he?” Nina asked as Ella took out two glasses and opened the bottle of wine.

“He’s four,” Ella replied with a smile as she thought about her little boy. “He will be starting kindergarten in the fall.”

“Oh, which one?” Nina asked as she took the glass of wine from Ella. “My girls went to Park Hills Elementary School, they both loved it there.”

“Well I’m waiting to see if they will have a place for Max,” Ella replied as she sipped her wine. “He will need a special needs assistant if they can take him. If not, he will go to a special school for kids with Autism.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Nina said and looked a little uncomfortable. “I didn’t realise.”

“It’s okay,” Ella smiled. “Max is a special kid. He is so clever; he amazes me every day. Sometimes it can be hard, but my family are awesome, and give me so much support.”

“What about his father?” Nina asked nervously.

“He isn’t around,” Ella shrugged. “He was never part of Max’s life.”

“I don’t know if I could cope with my two alone,” Nina sighed. “They can be a real handful, and they have my husband wrapped around their little finger.”

Nina stopped talking, and Ella could see a momentary look of sadness on her face, but she quickly pulled it back. “Cassie is twelve, but she thinks she is twenty-one. Shelby is seven and is a mini me of her father.”

Nina drifted off again and Ella could see that there was something there, something that she couldn’t put her finger on, but it wasn’t her place to pry.

“So, what is it you do?” Nina said as she forced a smile on her face. “Other than raise your son.”

“I own a flower shop,” Ella replied as she topped up their glasses. “It’s on the other side of town. It’s a small shop, but we are busy. So, I can’t complain.”

“Wow,” Nina replied. “Now I am jealous. I always wanted my own little business, but since the girls came along, I have stayed at home.”

“Well with it being just me,” Ella sighed. “Staying at home with Max was never a choice. I don’t know what I would have done without my mom and dad, but I have a girl that works for me now, and she is amazing. Which means my hours are a lot less than they could have been.”

“You really are amazing,” Nina said as she sipped her wine. “I don’t know if I could ever manage on my own like that. Dealing with the girls and running a business, I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

“It’s been hard,” Ella admitted as she twisted the glass in her fingers. “Sometimes you do feel like just running away, but you get up the next day and start again.”

“Well here’s to us,” Nina said as she raised her glass and smiled at Ella. “And to new friendships. I think you and I are going to be great friends.”

“To new friends,” Ella said as she too raised her glass, then she took a long sip.

Suddenly the doorbell sounded, and Ella looked at Nina.

“That’s probably my husband,” Nina said as she stood up and walked to the kitchen door. “I told him I was coming over here. The girls are having a sleepover at my sister’s. He was dropping them off. I told him to call over and say hi when he got back.”

“Well you get the door,” Ella said as she too stood up. “And I will grab another glass and another bottle of wine.”

Ella walked to the fridge and pulled out another bottle of wine. She set it down on the counter and walked to the cupboard to get another glass. She heard voices from behind her as she reached for the glass.

“I was right,” Nina said as she walked back into the room. “It was Nathan. Nathan, this is our new neighbour Ella, Ella this is my husband, Nathan.”

Ella turned to greet Nathan, but the minute her eyes met his, she could feel the blood drain from her entire body as a cold sweat of panic washed over her.

Staring back at her, looking just as shocked as she felt, was the same eyes that met hers that night in the bar. It was Nate.

The last thing Ella remembered was the sound of the glass smashing on the floor before a wave of blackness cloaked her as she could feel herself crashing to the ground.